San Francisco Bikers Have Reason To Celebrate

It is well known that Valencia Street is a high-injury corridor for the city, especially for bicyclists. The city itself has seen plenty of bike accidents this year and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has been trying to do something about it.

There have been meetings, letters, calls, and protests, all in an effort to make the streets of San Francisco safer for bicyclists. Now, the city is responding. A statement from Mayor Breed’s office says that the Mayor will be closely analyzing the SF Bicycle Coalition’s ‘Vision Zero’ street safety projects and has directed the SF Municipal Transportation Agency to implement them.

This means that there will be bike lanes on Valencia Street from Market to 15th within four months, a major victory for cycling enthusiasts.

But that does not mean that bicycle accident will be eliminated. No matter how many safety measures are put into place, there is no way to control the actions of negligent drivers. If you need a San Francisco bicycle accident attorney, you can count on Allegiance Law to be by your side.

The Numbers

We wish we could say bicycle accidents are rare, but the latest reporting year for California shows us differently. In a year time frame, there were almost 13,000 bicycle accident injuries. Out of those, 136 were fatalities.

Bicyclists are particularly vulnerable to vehicles that weigh thousands of pounds. They have almost no protection. When they are hit, they sustain two impacts – one with the vehicle, the other with the ground. This can lead to severe and costly injuries, ranging from broken bones and internal injuries to spinal and brain trauma.

These injuries can leave you with extended hospital stays and possibly long rehabilitation times. It is not uncommon for those in a bicycle accident to have short or long-term disabilities. This can severely hurt a person’s ability to work.

The Dangers

Motorists commonly do not see, or choose to ignore, pedestrian right-of-ways, which is why we see so many accidents happen at intersections.

Cyclists face danger from both drunk and distracted drivers. Whether someone has had too much to drink or whether they are sending a text message, they are putting everyone on or near them in danger when they are operating a vehicle.

What Happens Next?

If you have been in a bicycle accident, we know you may be wondering what your next steps are. At Allegiance Law, we want to help. We know that your medical expenses may be piling up and insurance may not cover all of them. If someone else’s negligence caused your accident and injuries, we will help you get the compensation you deserve. We will work to make sure your medical expenses are covered as well as any lost income from time away from work and pain and suffering damages. When you need a bicycle accident attorney in San Francisco, you can contact us by clicking here or calling 415-404-6395 for a free consultation.

To free yourself up to concentrate on recovering from your injuries, getting on with your life, and moving on from the auto accident, call Allegiance Law today for a free consultation with a skilled personal injury attorney.